Who Did It?

He opened the two metal doors, perfectly fine forty minutes earlier, and came out covered in bruises forty minutes later.

Whew. Dragging his feet, Mu Fan got a cup of water from the dispenser and sat down in the training chair to rest. Once he collected his pay, he could go home and get a good sleep. Today was his first time experiencing mecha combat. Though it had been virtual, Mu Fan felt it could not have been more real. Novel, thrilling, unforgettable—this was the summary of his day.

"Whew." The fat man on the sofa suddenly let out a breath, pressed the disconnect button, and took off his Helmet.

"Why did you log off before me? Didn't you say we'd keep in touch?" the fat man complained. "I lost again! I can't do it without you, Master! Was that really your first time playing the PO Battle Network? Come on, tell me about your badass story. I'm still savoring that last match."

After getting up to pour himself a cup of water, the fat man sat across from Mu Fan and asked excitedly.

There was quite a lot involved. Mu Fan felt a little troubled.

So he frowned, organized his thoughts, and said, "That match was a coincidence. Afterward, I came out to look around, but I wasn't familiar with anything here. I only knew about the Training Camp, so I logged off and trained early."

Only then did the fat man notice that Mu Fan's clothes were soaked through with sweat, and he felt admiration in his heart.

After thinking for a moment, Mu Fan added, "The PO Battle Network is truly amazing, but to be responsible to you, I think we should still spend half our time on actual combat training in the future. You attack, and I'll defend."

The fat man gave a dry cough.

"Beep beep. Incoming Sky Communicator call. Caller: Uncle Wu." The Sky Communicator beside them suddenly lit up.

"Uncle Wu is calling me. All right, let's stop here for today. I need to go eat. See you this afternoon! We'll train again this afternoon. I'm leaving first, Mu Fan!" Seeing that it was almost time, the fat man remembered it was time for lunch. How wonderful! His eyes immediately widened as he hurriedly spoke to Mu Fan, grabbed his clothes, and dashed away.

It was almost mealtime. Mu Fan narrowed his eyes. The moment he heard that, he completely ignored the fat man who had slipped away.

One had to be proactive about eating! Mu Fan acted as soon as he thought of it. He immediately changed his shoes and went downstairs. He was so hungry—it was time to eat.

When Mu Fan stepped out of the suspension elevator, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere in the hall was a little off.

There were quite a few trainees in the hall today. In the regular training area, the coaches were earnestly demonstrating combat techniques. Nothing had changed there. But when he looked toward the area where he had trained yesterday—Training Field 5, where sparring partners often gathered—there were still plenty of people there. Yet none of them wore the urgency of people waiting to eat. They all seemed distracted.

Something happened?

Mu Fan pondered inwardly, his face expressionless as he walked over.

"Sigh, this line of work really is..."

"Tell me about it. We've seen plenty of this, but I never thought he'd go down too."

"He's an old hand at the martial arts gym. They shouldn't be so heartless, should they?"

As Mu Fan walked along, his sharp hearing caught bits of whispered conversation from time to time.

It seemed something really had happened at the martial arts gym. He just didn't know who it involved. It had to be someone familiar, or everyone would not be acting like this.

"Big Eater!"

Mu Fan had become famous after yesterday's battle, though only in the culinary world. The nickname had already spread today, but although he heard it, he had yet to realize they were talking about him.

He paid it no heed.

"Big Eater is here. I wonder what he'll think when he hears the news. After all, they're connected." Mu Fan's ears suddenly perked up. Big Eater meant him? How was this connected to him?

"Look at his back!"

"Did the client use a weapon? How did he get whipped up like that? Damn!"

After Mu Fan passed those people, someone with sharp eyes suddenly noticed his back.

His training uniform had clung tightly to his body in the Gravity Room because he had been sweating heavily. During the final assault under Level 40 gravity in the Gravity Training Room, almost all the Rubber Bullets had struck Mu Fan's back. It was covered in what looked like bloodstains, and the back of his training uniform was nearly shredded.

Mu Fan kept walking, his expression numb. His straight body did not sway in the slightest, and his steps were firm and powerful.

More and more people saw him. This kid had only been here for a little over two days, yet he had already been beaten into this state.

"What a pity. Man Kun and this kid are both unlucky, but Man Kun has it worse. Sigh, I wonder if the martial arts gym will still keep him."

Mu Fan suddenly stopped. His eyes sharpened as he turned his head.

"Who else did you say?" His wolf-like gaze fixed on the person who had just spoken.

"What kind of attitude is that? Did I say anything? I didn't say anything." The man was displeased with Mu Fan's tone. How many people in the martial arts gym had good tempers? What was some newcomer making such a fuss for?

"Who else did you say?" Mu Fan ignored him and walked straight toward him.

"How dare you speak to a senior like that!" The man was extremely displeased. Was that any way to treat a senior at the martial arts gym? Man Kun could no longer protect him, yet he was still so arrogant. This was an old hand who had worked at the gym for more than three months. He was especially careful to protect himself during sparring, and after countless tumbles and scrapes, he had long mastered the tricks of a seasoned survivor. Seeing Mu Fan, who had only been here for a little over two days, speak to him in that tone while the people around them watched, made his face burn with embarrassment.

Mu Fan said nothing and walked directly toward him, his gaze icy.

"You've already been beaten into that state, yet you still have time to worry about others. What a joke." The man kept mocking this miserable-looking new sparring partner, trying to show off in front of his companions.

"You... urgh! Mm!! Mm, let go! Let go!" The man had not expected Mu Fan to come right at him without wasting a word. Mu Fan grabbed him by the collar, and he squawked nonstop like a rooster being strangled, his face turning bright red.

Instinctively, he reached up and tried to pry Mu Fan's hateful hand away.

But when his palm closed around Mu Fan's wrist, he realized that this seemingly slender kid had arms like forged steel! He could not feel any give from muscle beneath his grip. Those clear, streamlined muscles on Mu Fan's arm seemed as though every inch beneath them had been cast from bronze and iron!

"I'm asking you, who else?" Mu Fan raised his right arm, which was gripping the collar. "Mmph, mmph!" He actually lifted the man into the air with one hand.

His arm was stretched straight!

His body did not move an inch!

The man in his hand was red-faced, making hoarse sounds as he struck Mu Fan's arm again and again, yet Mu Fan did not let go.

This was a sparring partner with a Level 8 physique, yet in Mu Fan's hand, he was like a chick waiting to be slaughtered.

The people around them were stunned. This newcomer had always seemed like a rabbit. They had thought he was a herbivore with a huge appetite, but now he looked like a humanoid Tyrannosaurus! In front of so many coworkers and trainees, he had lifted that man in such a hard and violent manner.

"Answer me!" Mu Fan's eyes were fierce and sharp, without a trace of his earlier kindness.

The fist gripping the man's collar gradually tightened, squeezing until the man's eyes nearly rolled white.

"I... I'll... I'll tell you..." came the struggling voice.

Bang! Mu Fan flung him down, looking indifferently at the man on the ground as he coughed nonstop.

The bloody marks on his back showed through the training uniform, a complete mess!

But no one present dared laugh. No one spoke again. The scene fell silent, and everyone's attention focused on the sparring partner Mu Fan was looking down at.

"Also... also Man Kun." The man answered as soon as he caught his breath, afraid Mu Fan would lift him again if dissatisfied. He could not stay at this martial arts gym anymore. He had to find another place. This was too humiliating.

"What happened to him?" Mu Fan's wolf-like eyes stared at the man before him. Man Kun had been the first person to receive him when he entered the martial arts gym. It had only been two days, but Mu Fan could tell good people from bad.

"He was... beaten crippled. One leg was broken. He was just sent out for treatment." The people around them also showed looks of pity. Man Kun had accompanied that VIP client in training today. Unexpectedly, that VIP showed no restraint when dealing with Man Kun, who was part of the lower-level management. After only a few moves, he had crippled him. The martial arts gym had already sent someone to take Man Kun out for treatment.

"Who did it?" Mu Fan's eyes became calm and indifferent. His right fist suddenly let out a creak.

The man sitting on the ground shuddered.

"Young... Young Master Wen."

P.S. Thank you to reader "Shiqing Huayi, Ren Xiaowei" for the generous reward!